2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA heater

2-
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Windows
2
-4 Keys
2
-6 Door Locks
2
-9 Remote Keyless Entry (If Equipped)
2
-13 Trunk
2
-18 Theft
2
-19 Content Theft-Deterrent (Option)
2
-20 Vehicle Customization Settings
2
-30 Passlock

2-30 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-31 Ignition Positions
2
-32 Starting Your Engine
2
-34 Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
2
-36 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
-40 Parking Brake
2
-41 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-44 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
2
-45 Parking Over Things That Burn2
-45 Engine Exhaust
2
-46 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
2
-47 Tilt Wheel
2
-47 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-54 Exterior Lamps
2
-57 Interior Lamps
2
-59 Mirrors
2
-66 Accessory Power Outlet
2
-68 Auxiliary Power Connection (Power Drop)
2
-69 OnStar
System (If Equipped)
2
-73 Power Sunroof (Option)
2
-74 HomeLink
Transmitter (Option)
2
-78 The Instrument Panel -- Your
Information System
2
-80 Instrument Panel Cluster
2
-83 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2
-94 Message Center
2
-103 Driver Information Center (DIC) (Option)

2-34
3. If your engine still won't start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing.
This time keep the pedal down for five or
six seconds to clear the extra gasoline from the
engine. After waiting about 15 seconds, repeat the
normal starting procedure.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you don't,
your engine might not perform properly.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0
F (-18
C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm
-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures
above 32
F (0
C), use of the coolant heater is
not required.

2-35
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is attached to the underside of the diagonal
brace, which is located above the engine air
cleaner/filter assembly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.

2-57
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
This feature controls the instrument panel lights.
The control for this feature is located on the exterior
lamps control. Your parking lamps must be on for this
feature to work. Turn the control clockwise to brighten
the lights or counterclockwise to dim them.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps come on. These
lamps are courtesy lamps. They make it easy for you to
enter and leave your vehicle. You can also turn these
lamps on by turning the exterior lamps control all the
way clockwise.
Some of the lamps have switches so you can turn them
on, even when the doors are closed. These lamps are
reading lamps.
Illuminated Entry (If Equipped)
Your courtesy lamps will come on and stay on for a set
time whenever you press UNLOCK on the remote
keyless entry transmitter (if equipped).
If you open a door, the lamps will stay on while it's open
and then turn off automatically about 25 seconds after
you close it. If you press UNLOCK and don't open a
door, the lamps will turn off after about 40 seconds.
Illuminated entry includes a feature called theater
dimming. With theater dimming, the lamps don't just
turn off at the end of the delay time. Instead, they slowly
dim after the delay time until they go out. The delay
time is canceled if you turn the ignition key to ON or
press the power door lock switch. The lamps will dim
right away.
When the ignition is on, illuminated entry is inactive,
which means the courtesy lamps won't come on unless
a door is opened.

3-6 Ventilation System
Change the direction
of the airflow by
adjusting the vents.
Your vehicle's flow
-through ventilation system
supplies outside air into the vehicle when it is
moving. Outside air will also enter the vehicle when
the air conditioning compressor is running and the
outside air button is pressed
If the airflow seems very low when the fan is adjusted to
the highest setting, regardless of the mode setting, your
passenger compartment air filter (if equipped) may need
to be replaced. See ªMaintenance Scheduleº and
ªPassenger Compartment Air Filterº in the Index.Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction (such as leaves). The heater
and defroster will work far better, reducing the
chance of fogging the inside of your windows.

When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, adjust the
mode knob to floor and the fan to the highest speed
for a few seconds before driving off. This helps clear
the intake ducts of snow and moisture and reduces
the chance of fogging the inside of your windows.

Keep the air path under the front seats clear of
objects. This helps air to circulate throughout
your vehicle.

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Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
-- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as ªdinghy towingº (towing your
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and ªdolly
towingº (towing your vehicle with two wheels on the
ground and two wheels up on a device known as
a ªdollyº).With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See ªDinghy
Towingº and ªDolly Towing,º following.
Here are some important things to consider before
you do recreational vehicle towing:

What's the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle
manufacturer's recommendations.

How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.

Do you have the proper towing equipment? See your
dealer or trailering professional for additional advice
and equipment recommendations.

Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would
prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you'll want to
make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed.
See ªBefore Leaving on a Long Tripº in the Index.

5-12 If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
An overheat warning along with a low coolant message
can indicate a serious problem. See ªLow Coolant
Messageº in the Index.
If you get an engine overheat warning with no low
coolant message, but see or hear no steam, the problem
may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a
little too hot when you:

Climb a long hill on a hot day.

Stop after high
-speed driving.

Idle for long periods in traffic.

Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If your air conditioner is on, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you're in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn't come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park
your vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, idle the engine for
three minutes while you're parked. If you still have the
warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down. Also, see ªOverheated
Engine Protection Operating Modeº listed previously in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.

5-14
CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not running and
can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
The coolant level should be at or above the COLD mark
on the coolant recovery tank. To check the coolant level,
look for the COLD mark on the side of the coolant
recovery tank that faces the engine. If the coolant level
is not at or above the COLD mark, If it isn't, you may
have a leak at the pressure cap or in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system.